MARINEGUIDANCENOTE

MGN369(M+F)

Navigation:NavigationInRestrictedVisibility

NoticetoallShipOwners,Masters,Skippers,Ships’Officers,andPilots.

ThisnoticereplacesMarineGuidanceNote202andshouldbereadinconjunctionwithMGN

313KeepingaSafeNavigationalWatchonFishingVesselsandMGN315KeepingaSafe

NavigationalWatchonMerchantVessels.

PLEASENOTE:-

Wherethisdocumentprovidesguidanceonthelawitshouldnotberegardedasdefinitive.Thewaythelawappliestoanyparticularcasecanvaryaccordingtocircumstances-for

example,fromvesseltovesselandyoushouldconsiderseekingindependentlegaladviceif

youareunsureofyourownlegalposition.

Summary

A2003surveypublishedbytheNauticalInstitute(Seaways-RogerSyms)showedthatmanyOfficersoftheWatch(OOW)donotfullyunderstandandproperlyfollowtheInternationalRegulationsforthePreventionofCollisionsatSea(COLREGS)andasaconsequencecollisionsstilloccur.

ThisGuidancenote;

•Describestheproperconductofvesselsinrestrictedvisibility

•SetsouthowtoapplytheRuletodetermineriskofcollisioninaclose-quarterssituationanddecideonthecorrectavoidingaction

•RemindsoperatorsthatSectionsIandIIIoftheSteeringandSailingRulesofthe

CollisionRegulationsmustbecompliedwithstrictly.

•Advisesoperatorsonhowtheyshoulddetermineasafespeedandaclose-quarterssituationinrestrictedvisibility.

KeyPoints

•NavigatingashipinrestrictedvisibilityrequiresafullunderstandingoftheCOLREGS,inparticularPartB(SteeringandSailingRules)bothSectionIII(Rule19)–ConductofvesselsinrestrictedvisibilityandSectionI(Rules4to10inclusive)–Conductofvesselsinanyconditionofvisibility.

•ItistheresponsibilityoftheOOWtocomplywiththeCOLREGS.CompanieshavetoensurecomplianceoftheiremployeeswithCOLREGSandissueguidancetothatextentbuttheultimatedecisionaboutsafenavigationhastobemadebytheOOWtakingintoaccountallavailableinformation.

(continued)

•Rule19isthebasisfornavigationinreducedvisibility;thisRulerequiresthatavesselshallproceedatasafespeedadaptedtotheprevailingcircumstances,initiallytobejudgedbyallfactorslistedinRule6.Rule19requiresthatthereisnostand-onvessel.Allparticipantsarerequiredtotakeappropriateavoidingaction.

•Keepingaproperlook-outrequirestheOOWtoensurethatallavailablemeansareusedtoobtainasmuchinformationaspossibleaboutthecurrenttrafficandnavigationsituationandthenevaluatethisinformationbeforetakingaction.

1.Introduction

1.1 ThisMarineGuidanceNotice(MGN)explainstheMaritimeandCoastguardAgency

(MCA)understandingoftermssuchas ‘forwardofthebeam’,‘safespeed’,‘close-quarterssituation’,‘closestpointofapproach’(CPA),‘riskofcollision’and‘properlook-out’.

1.2 Thisguidancedoesnotfreeanycompany,masterand/orOfficeroftheWatch(OOW)oftheirresponsibilitytotakedecisionsaboutthesafeoperationoftheirshipinaccordancewiththelaw.

1.3 ManysourceshavebeenusedasabasisforthisMGNincludingMAIBcollisioninvestigationreports,TheInternationalChamberofShippingBridgeProceduresGuide,TheStandardsforTrainingandCertificationforWatchKeepers1978,asamended,NorthofEnglandProtectionandIndemnityClub(P&I),UKAdmiraltyCourtandCourtofAppealjudgements.

2.Rule1-Application

(a)TheseRulesshallapplytoallvesselsuponthehighseasandinallwatersconnectedtherewithnavigablebyseagoingvessels.

3.SteeringandSailingRules

3.1 PartBoftheCOLREGShasthreesections:

SectionI(Rules4–10)Conductofvesselsinanyconditionofvisibility.SectionII(Rules11-18)ConductofvesselsinsightofoneanotherandSectionIII(Rule19)Conductofvesselsnotinsightofoneanother.

4.Rule19–Conductofvesselsinrestrictedvisibility

(a) ThisRuleappliestovesselsnotinsightofoneanotherwhennavigatinginornearanareaofrestrictedvisibility.

•Ifyoucannotseetheothervesselvisually,thenRule19shallapply,regardlessofwhetheryourvesselisinornearanareaofrestrictedvisibility

(b) Everyvesselshallproceedatasafespeedadaptedtotheprevailingcircumstancesandconditionsofrestrictedvisibility.Apower-drivenvesselshallhaveherenginesreadyforimmediatemanoeuvre.

•Safespeedcannotbeexplainedinabsolutenumbersforallvessels

•ThefactorsthatdetermineasafespeedaredealtwithindetailbyRule6

•Strongwindsandhighseasmayinfluencethemanoeuvrabilityofthevessel

•Determinationof safe speed must be continuouslyre-assessedas circumstanceschange

•TheOOWshouldbeawareoftheeffectthatdifferentloadconditions(fullorpartlyloadedorinballast)willhaveonthevesselhandlingcharacteristics

(c) EveryvesselshallhavedueregardtotheprevailingcircumstancesandconditionsofrestrictedvisibilitywhencomplyingwiththeRulesofSectionIofthisPart.

•WhennavigatinginornearareasofrestrictedvisibilityRule19isnottheonlyRulefromPartB(SteeringandSailingRules)thatapplies,Rules4to10inclusive(ofSectionI),alsoapply

(d) Avesselwhichdetectsbyradaralonethepresenceofanothervesselshalldetermineifaclose-quarterssituationisdevelopingand/orriskofcollisionexists.Ifso,sheshalltakeavoidingactioninampletime,providedthatwhensuchactionconsistsofanalterationofcourse,sofaraspossiblethefollowingshallbeavoided:

(i)analterationofcoursetoportforavesselforwardofthebeam,otherthanforavesselbeingovertaken;

(ii)analterationofcoursetowardsavesselabeamorabaftthebeam.

•Ifriskofcollisionoraclose-quarterssituationisdevelopingthenavoidingactionmustbetakenbecausetherearenostandonvesselsunderRule19

•Ifthetargetposingtheriskofcollisionoraclose-quarterssituationisforwardofyourbeam:Trytoavoidalteringtoportforthatvessel,unlessyouareovertakingit

•Ifthetargetposingtheriskofcollisionoraclose-quarterssituationisabeamorabaftofyourbeam: Trytoavoidalteringcourseinadirectionthatwouldtakeyoutowardsthatvessel

(e) Exceptwhereithasbeendeterminedthatariskofcollisiondoesnotexist,everyvesselwhichhearsapparentlyforwardofherbeamthefogsignalofanothervessel,orwhichcannotavoidaclose-quarterssituationwithanothervesselforwardofherbeam,shallreduceherspeedtotheminimumatwhichshecanbekeptonhercourse.Sheshallifnecessarytakeallherwayoffandinanyeventnavigatewithextremecautionuntildangerofcollisionisover.

•Keepaneffectivelisteningwatchforfogsignals

•Havetheenginesreadyforimmediatemanoeuvre

•Reducingspeedmayallowmoretimetoassessthesituation

•Notallvesselswillbedetectedbyradar,speciallyyachtsandothersmallcraft

•Ifafogsignalishearditmaybedifficulttoaccuratelydeterminethedirectionofthefogsignal

5.Rule5–Look-out

Everyvesselshallatalltimesmaintainaproperlook-outbysightandhearingaswellasbyallavailablemeansappropriateintheprevailingcircumstancesandconditionssoastomakeafullappraisalofthesituationandoftheriskofcollision.

•MaintainingaproperLook-outisanimportantelementofsafewatchkeeping,especiallywhenthevisibilityisrestricted,andincludeslook-outbyhearing,radar,VHF,AISaswellasbysight.

6.Rule6–SafeSpeed

6.1 Rule6statesthat,everyvesselshallatalltimesproceedatasafespeedsothatshecantakeproperandeffectiveactiontoavoidcollisionandbestoppedwithinadistanceappropriatetotheprevailingcircumstancesandconditions. Rule6aliststhefactorsforsafespeedthatapplytoallvessels,andRule6blistsfactorsthatapplytoshipsfittedwithradar.

6.2 Rule19reinforcesRule6byrequiringallvesselstoproceedatasafespeedinrestrictedvisibilityandbyrequiringpower-drivenvesselsto‘havetheirenginesreadyforimmediatemanoeuvre’.

6.3 Inordertomaintainasafespeedatalltimesacontinuousappraisalofchangesincircumstancesandconditionsshouldbemade.

7.Rule7-Riskofcollision

(a) Everyvesselshalluseallavailablemeansappropriatetotheprevailingcircumstancesandconditionstodetermineifriskofcollisionexists. Ifthereisanydoubtsuchriskshallbe

deemedtoexist.

•Useradarforassessingtheriskofcollision

•Maintainagoodvisualandlisteningwatchatalltimes

•Ifindoubt,assumethatriskofcollisionexistsandactaccordingly

(b) Properuseshallbemadeofradarequipmentiffittedandoperational,includinglong–rangescanningtoobtainearlywarningofriskofcollisionandradarplottingorequivalentsystematicobservationofdetectedobjects.

•ARPAonlyproducessystematicobservationofacquiredtargets

•MakesureradarandARPAareusedtotheirfullpotential.Theyshouldbeproperlyalignedandadjusted

•Make systematicobservationsof targets to assess risk of collisionand build upsituationawareness

•Useradarrange-scaleproperly;thatis,useshorterrangeswhendealingwithtargetsclosertoyourvesselandlong-rangescanningtoprovideearlywarning

•Anoperationalradarisonewithoutdefects.Allfunctionsoftheequipmenthavetobeavailablefortheoperatorandthereshouldbenolossoftargetbrillianceduetoawornoutcathoderaytubeormissingpixelsoftheliquidcrystaldisplaymonitor. Particularlylossoftargetsnearthecentre,includingclutter,wouldbeanobviousconcern

(c) Assumptionsshallnotbemadeonthebasisofscantyinformation,especiallyscantyradarinformation.

•Take time to assess every situation properly, as it requires several minutes ofsystematicobservationtoproduceusefulinformationfromaradarorARPAset

(d) Indeterminingifriskofcollisionexiststhefollowingconsiderationsshallbeamongthosetakenintoaccount

(i)Suchrisksshallbedeemedtoexistifthecompassbearingofanapproachingvesseldoesnotappreciablychange

(ii)Suchriskmaysometimesexistevenwhenanappreciablebearingchangeisevident,particularlywhenapproachingaverylargevesseloratoworwhen

approachingavesselatcloserange

•Determineriskofcollisionfromasystematicplottingoftargets

•Riskofcollisionexistsifthecompassbearingdoesnotappreciablychange

•Relativemotiontrailsonaradarprovideareliableindicationofcollisionrisk

•Observingthecompassbearingofatargetisonemeansofdeterminingwhetherriskofcollisionexists

•Inrestrictedvisibilitytheonlywaytoobservethecompassbearingofatargetistouseacompassstabilisedradar

•Evenifthecompassbearingdoesappreciablychange,theremaystillbeariskofcollisionwhenapproachinglargetargetsorwhenapproachingtargetsatcloserange

•Anelectronicbearingline(EBL)fixedtoown-shipisaconvenientwayofobservingchangestothecompassbearingofatarget

•OnanARPAdisplay,riskofcollisionwithatrackedtargetexistsiftherelativevectorofthetargetpointsatown-ships’positiononthescreen

•CPATCPAalarmscanbesettoprovidewarningofcollisionriskorpotentialclosequarterssituationwithtrackedtargets

8.Rule8-Actiontoavoidcollision

(a) AnyactiontoavoidcollisionshallbetakeninaccordancewiththeRulesofthispartandshall,ifthecircumstancesofthecaseadmit,bepositive,madeinampletimeandwithdue

regardtotheobservanceofgoodseamanship.

•Observegoodseamanship

•ComplywiththesteeringandsailingRules

•Takeearlyactionwhichresultsinasafeoutcome

(b) Anyalterationofcourseand/orspeedtoavoidcollisionshall,ifthecircumstancesofthecaseadmit,belargeenoughtobereadilyapparenttoanothervesselobservingvisuallyorbyradar;asuccessionofsmallalterationsofcourseand/orspeedshouldbeavoided.

•Donotmakeaseriesofsmallalterations

•Alterationsshouldbereadilyapparenttoothervessels

•Coursealterationstendtobemorereadilyapparentthanchangeinspeed

(c) Ifthereissufficientsea-room,alterationofcoursealonemaybethemosteffectiveactiontoavoidaclose-quarterssituationprovidedthatitismadeingoodtime,issubstantialanddoesnotresultinanotherclose-quarterssituation.

(d) Actiontakentoavoidcollisionwithanothervesselshallbesuchastoresultinpassingatasafedistance. Theeffectivenessoftheactionshallbecarefullycheckeduntiltheothervesselisfinallypastandclear.

•Keepasafedistancefromothervessels

•Itisimportanttosystematicallyobservetheeffectivenessoftheactiontaken

•Thesafedistancewilldependonthecircumstances,howeverifyouhavesufficientsearoomthereisnoreasontopassclosetoanothervessel

(e) Ifnecessarytoavoidcollisionorallowmoretimetoassessthesituation,avesselshallslackenherspeedortakeallwayoffbystoppingorreversinghermeansofpropulsion.

•Apowerdrivenvesselshouldhavetheenginesreadyforimmediatemanoeuvre

(f) ”Avesselwhich,byanyoftheseRules,isrequirednottoimpedethepassageorsafepassageofanothervessel”...etc.

•Therequirementnottoimpedethepassageorsafepassageofanothervesseldoesnotapplyonlytovesselsinsightofeachotherwhichareapproachinginsuchawaythatriskofcollisionislikelytodevelop.

•TherequirementsofRule8(f)togetherwithRules9(b),(c)and(d),and10(i)and(j)

applyinbothclearandrestrictedvisibility.

•WhenthereisanobligationnottoimpedeinrestrictedvisibilityRule19appliesfully,togetherwithRule8(f)

9.Forwardofthebeam

9.1 Avesselisforwardofthebeamaslongasherrelativebearingfromtheobservingvesselislessthan90ºormorethan270º.

10.Close-quartersSituation

10.1 Similar to ‘safe speed’ a ‘close-quarters situation’ depends on the particularcircumstancesandclosingspeedsofthevesselsinvolved.Manoeuvringcharacteristics,visibility,weather,trafficdensity,restrictedoropenwaters,willallhaveaninfluenceondeterminingat whatdistancea close-quarterssituationbeginsto exist.A close-quarters

situationisnottobeconfusedwithariskofcollisionwhichbeginsatanearlierpointintime.

11.ClosestPointofApproach(CPA)

11.1 Systematicobservationofaradartargetoffersaforecastofthedistanceoffatwhichatargetwillpass(theclosestpointofapproachorCPA)andthetimeatwhichthetargetwill

reachitsclosestpointofapproach(TCPA).Thisinformationisaneffectivemeasureoftheriskofclose-quarterssituationdeveloping.

11.2 TheARPAorATAmusttrackthetarget(s)foraperiodoftime,afterwhichavectorcanbedisplayed. Usingthevectorlengthcontrol,thevectorscanbeextendedtodeterminetheCPAbyobservationagainstthebackgroundoftherangeringsandtheTCPAcanbereadofffromthevectorlengthcontrol.

11.3 ItispossibletospecifyaCPAandTCPA(sometimesreferredtoassafelimits)whichwillactivateanalarmifbothareviolated. Forexample,iftheCPAandTCPAcontrolsaresetto0.5nmilesand30minrespectivelyandatargetwhichisbeingtrackedwillcometoaCPAoflessthan0.5nmilesinlessthan30min,thenthealarmwillbeactivated.

12.MAIBReportedCollisionCases

12.1 Anumberofcollisionsinrestrictedvisibilityoverthepastyearsdemonstratedthatsomeofthevesselsinvolvedwereneitherwellrunnorwassufficientcompetency,awareness

andconscientiousnessdisplayedbybridgecrewsandskippersofvesselsinvolved.(Seethe

following MAIB investigation reports: Diamont/Northern Merchant (2002), P&O Nedlloyd

Vespucci/Wahkuna(2003),LykesVoyager/WashingtonSenator(2006)).

12.2 In2002acollisioninvestigatedbytheMAIBinvolvingahigh-speedcraft(HSC)andaro-roferryonacrossingcourseintheDoverStrait,indicatedtheHSCwasmaking32knotsandthero-roferrywasmaking21knots.ThepredictedCPAwas3cables.

12.3 The2003collisionhappenedinthemiddleoftheEnglishChannelnorthofCherbourgbetweenacontainershipmaking25knotsonacrossingcoursewithasailingyachtmaking

7.5knots.ThepredictedCPAwas8cables.

12.4 The2006caseinvolvedtwocontainervesselsjustnorthoftheTaiwanBanks,oncrossingcourseswithonemaking17knotsandtheother19.5knots.ThepredictedCPAwas

2-3cables.

12.5 SomeofthekeycontributingfactorsidentifiedintheabovethreecollisionswereexcessivespeedandtoosmallaCPA.Thisisinlinewithfindingsofawiderstudyaccordingtowhichapproximately60%ofallcollisionsaresaidtoinvolveexcessivespeed.

12.6 Rule19(b)requiresthatallshipsshallproceedatasafespeed,andincaseofpowerdrivenvesselsshallalsohavetheirenginesreadyforimmediatemanoeuvre.

13.Commercialconsiderations

13.1 Speedofashipandtherebyfuelconsumptionandtherelatedcostsareusuallydictatedbycommercialinterests.Eventhoughacompanyhastherighttogiveinstructionstomasters these instructions cannot overrule their decision on safety matters. Particular

referenceismadetotheRegulation34-1“Master’sDiscretion”ofSOLASChapterV.

“Theowner,thecharterer,thecompanyoperatingtheshipasdefinedinregulationIX/1,oranyotherpersonshallnotpreventorrestrictthemasteroftheshipfromtakingorexecutinganydecisionwhich,inthemaster'sprofessionaljudgement,isnecessaryforsafetyoflifeatseaandprotectionofthemarineenvironment.”

TheMCAinterpretthisasensuringthemasterhasabsolutediscretiontotakedecisionsintheinterestsofsafetyoflifeatseaandorprotectionofthemarineenvironment.

positivelyencouragemastersandOOWstofollowsafenavigationalpracticesinanysituation,particularlyinrestrictedvisibility.PositiveencouragementmayberequiredtomakethemasterandofficersfullyawarethatitmaybeofdisadvantagetothecompanyforbridgeteamsnottocomplywithrulesandregulationsandtheCOLREGSinparticular.

14.WellRunShip

14.1 A‘wellrunship’willunderallcircumstancesbenavigatedinaccordancewiththeregulations. ThisdoesnotonlyrequiretheOOWtofollowtheCOLREGSbutalsoobligates

thecompanytoprovidethenecessaryresourcesandissuerelevantguidanceincompliance

withtheinternationalSafetyManagement(ISM)Code.

14.2 GoodBridgeTeamManagementisanessentialtoolinensuringthatashipiswellrun.NavigatorsshouldbefamiliarwiththecontentsofthelatestInternationalChamberofShipping(ICS)BridgeProceduresGuide.

15.Conclusion:

InconditionsofrestrictedvisibilitywhencomplyingwithRule19;therearenostandonorgivewayvessels. Allvesselsarerequiredtodeterminewhetheraclose-quarterssituationis

developingandifariskofcollisionexists.Ifthelikelihoodofaclose-quarterssituationis

detectedtheneachvesselmusttakeappropriateactiontopreventtheclose-quarterssituationfromdeveloping.

Thejudgmentastowhenavesselisheadingintoaclose-quarterssituationwillhavetobemadebyindividualOOWsusingallavailablemeanscombinedwiththeirownexperienceandgoodseamanship. OverreliancemustnotbeplacedoncalculatedCPAsandTCPAsfromARPAequipment. Navigationalconstraints,environmentalfactorsandknowledgeofownvesselsmanoeuvrabilitymustalsobetakenintoaccountwhenreachingthisjudgement.

OOWsshouldbeencouragedtocallthemaster,orseektheviewofmoreexperiencedmembersofthebridgeteaminampletimetoassistinassessingthesituation.

MoreInformation

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Published:July2008

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APPLICATIONOFCOLLISIONREGULATIONSINRESTRICTEDVISIBILITY

SAFESPEEDRULE6

DETECTTARGET

DETERMINEIFRISKOFCOLLISIONEXISTSRULE7

YES

CONDUCTOFVESSELS

INRESTRICTEDVISIBILITYRULE19

ACTIONTOAVOIDCOLLISIONRULE8